Modélisation de scénarios de transition du système agricole français

To address environmental challenges, a transition in the agricultural sector is necessary. However, the complexity of the mechanisms governing the functioning of agro-ecosystems, in terms of the interactions between crops, grasslands, livestock, and human consumption, makes it difficult to anticipate the effect of a change in the system on its performance and sustainability. For example, the effect of a change in the size and type of livestock on the sustainability and productivity of the agricultural system is difficult to predict due to potentially conflicting induced effects. Livestock systems emit greenhouse gases and compete directly with human food production, but they contribute to maintaining grasslands and therefore biodiversity, and play an important role in crop fertility through livestock effluents. All of this makes it difficult both (i) for researchers to develop transition scenarios and (ii) for the general public to understand these issues, which are nevertheless central to debates in civil society. The overall objective of this thesis is to leverage the possibilities offered by computer science to design a visual, educational, and interactive tool that highlights the complexity of the agricultural system and its various cause-and-effect relationships. The ultimate goal is to inform public debates and societal choices by offering a more realistic, less simplistic, and less binary perspective. This is a broad topic that is part of a larger project undertaken in collaboration with a team of agronomists from INRAE. Initially, the focus will be on a subset of key mechanisms related to cattle farming before being extended to the entire agricultural system.